Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1887-01-05
THE MEXICAN PALACE
Pom Picture of One of tho Most Inter-
csting of Buildings.

The Palace is one of the most inter
esting buildings in Mexico because OF
its dimensions, the curiosities 1t con-
tafns, its history, and the knowledge
We have of the schemes Of tyranny and
Oloodshed devised within Its walls.
Each Of its six patlos is entered
through pdAlderous outer doors, that
might be relied upon to resist the
blows OF catapult, and these courts
are surrounded by walls of enormous
thickness. The building occupies the
exact limits of Montezuma's palace.
and contains the Official apartments Of
the President and of the senate, the
world-famed Ambassadors Hall, tie
offices OF the Government, the Pos
Office, Museum, and military bar
racks. President DiaZ has leased a
residence near the western side OF the
Plaza, and his private dwelling on
Humboldt street, is now the residence
Of the American Minister, Gen. Henry
r. Jackson. The starry banner OF the
American Legion floats in the soft
breeze above the high walls and shady
gardens of the private dwelling of the
President of the Republic of Mexico.
After call upon the Premier. Senior
Rubio, and an audience with the PreSi-
lent, a visit to the Hall of the Ambas-
sadors, and glance at the well-ar-
ranged general post-ofice, you are close
by the entrance of the patio Of the
Museum. This court Is well shaded,
and to the left of the entrance you are
permitted TO enter a small apartment,
In. hfah in avhfb.tnd hA a
0f the Empire, the gift Of Napoleon
III. to Carlotta, and said to be hand
;omer than the imperial coach of Rus
sia.
Opposite the street entrance to this
patio is the door of tie Aztec hall
Entering this long, narrow chamber,
but recently appropriated to its present
uses. found few workmen erecting
?edestals for the gods and the sacrifi-
cial and calendar stones lremoved
:hither from the Cathedral walls and
he patio enclosure), and the gods
themselves lying around IN the most
indigniied postures. The idols ex-
libited at New Orleans were arriving,
and lay scattered about the completed
2edstal OF the divinity Of DEATH" or,
as Bandalier insists, the HutZilopOtchli
war god) of Tenochitlan. A few feet
distant. and directly in front Of this
bloody idol, is placed the sacrificial
stone on which sixty thousand hearts
we're cut out to his honor
The extraordinary carvings on top
and sides of this stone of sacrifice at
.ract unlimited attention until the
Oowl in the centre recalls its bloody
uses. Into it the hearts blood of the
victim ran, and thence along the
trench to the side where it was often
frank by the sinister priests, with their
matted black locks towing down
their backs;" and then, horror of h0r-
rors! to remember that the body of the
victim was served by his captor in
banquet 10 friends, with the most deli
cate of wines and tOothsome of yiandS.
Ascending a fight of stone steps,
slOse to the fountain that threw the
ipray of its cooling waters amid trOp:-
al plants, the museum proper was
reached. The first impression was
aisagreeable one; it was made by an
Intentional display of very bad taste by
the commissioners in thrusting the
painting of "Maximilian and his Gen.
.ral,n - into an obscure niche, and deny
ng 1t even a frame. Entering the first
room you see relics of Hidalgo by Co.'S
Nlla, the standard OF the conquest,
and noble cast of the face of JuareZ.
In the second We halted at the long
liable and the cases containing the hun
ired and seventy-sixty pieces compris-
ng the ''silyer plate of Maxamiliin."
A pleasant-spoken Mexican standing
by, SAID, musically: "Exqueeseete,
seelvare plate of day empeer, LaperiO.
senOr." in his soft voice; hs was an
AZ,ec. Alasl | had read that morn
ing Mendoza's analysis of the so-called
silver. He gives it: Cooper, SO. l;
zinc, 30.2; nickel, 59.7; iron, 1,0;-100. !
The silver specifically placed upon it |
Is represented by the decimal 0.e5."
What a sham to bear the arms of tie |
Empire, and the mark of the factory |
'Cristoflel''
The remaining rooms contain the |
glassware of Iturbide, Aztec weapons,
instruments, mirrors, domestic |
shield of MonteZuma III, pJr-
traits of the Viceroys, picture writ
ings OF the Aztecs, their pottery, and
feather work. together with the skele-
tons, minerals, birds, insects. reptiles,
fauna and fora of the country. An
inspection of the Lorillard collection,
lenied permission to leave the Republic
by Congress, can be obtained on pass
from the Governor of the district only.